Mis 3 prioridades principales

Affordable housing is a major concern in our community, and while we have done a great job of building luxury apartments all over town, we need to focus on low and medium income and workforce housing for people working or doing business in Berkeley.

I’m running for City Council District 3, because I want to serve South Berkeley constituents. City Council is a big job, and I’m the only candidate who can commit to doing it full time. I’ll work tirelessly to serve the needs of my neighbors.

I’m a strong believer in the effort to establish a $15 minimum wage, but I support a living wage. There's a lot of work ahead of us to develop a plan that solves all of the issues around this, but Berkeley should be leading the nation in this effort.

Experiencia

Biografía

Lifetime Passion for Public Service

– Statesman, Not a Politician

I discovered public service in high school when I created and managed a student job center, bringing applicants and employers together. Next I served in the U.S. Air Force for 6 ½ years, where my community service continued as Media Director for the Rapid City Chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association; as an enlisted advisor on the Base Commander’s Advisory Council and I created Operation L.O.V.E. which provided Air Force volunteers and vehicles to assist community seniors (spring cleaning, moving etc.).

I was the Media Coordinator for Nuremberg Actions (a 24-hour vigil at the Concord Naval Weapons Station), where as a veteran I was able to serve effectively as a liaison between Nuremberg Actions, the Navy and the Sheriff’s Department in tense situations. From there, I went to Nicaragua where I produced 32 documentaries for Non Profits.

Returning to Berkeley from Nicaragua, I spent a decade working in Berkeley schools as an active parent:

· Safety Committee Chair at King Child Development Center

· PTA President at John Muir Elementary School

· BSEP P&O Representative

· Superintendent’s Budget Advisory Committee

· Berkeley PTA Council President

I have also served on five non-profit Boards in Berkeley, as president on four, and as a Deacon at St. John’s Presbyterian Church for 12 years. I have served on the Board of Elders for the past eight years. I was baptized at St. John’s in 1956.

For the past 14 years I have served as the Public Information Officer for the Berkeley Unified School District, serving 9,000 students and their families, 1,500 employees and the Board of Education. In that role I have been ombudsman, problem solver, troubleshooter, communicator and spokesperson for BUSD.

Berkeley Native, Longtime District 3 Resident

I was born at Alta Bates Hospital in 1956. My family lived across the street. I am the only candidate who is a longtime District 3 resident. I moved into the LeConte neighborhood 13 years ago, where my wife, AnaLuisa (Nelly) Quiñonez has lived for 30 years.

Creencias poliza

Filosofía política

I am a lifelong public servant, not a politician. I really like the Rotary's concept of Service before Self. That's how I have tried to live my life and how I have modeled for my son as a single parent. He says that he is a firefighter, visiting children in hospitals dressed as Deadpool on his days off because of my example. My community service, outlined in detail in my extended biography above, has been as rewarding to me as it has been to the recipients of my service, and I feel the same passion towards service in government. I believe that the only way to truly represent the needs and desires of my neighbors in District 3 is to engage and communicate with all constituents by participating in our business and neighborhood associations, non-profits and other organized groups, as well as individual residents through town Halls and knocking on doors. I am committed to that level of engagement in my community and I intend to work directly with the 48 people representing me on Berkeley commissions, who I will consider my Cabinet. I intend to make better, more informed decisions at the Council level because of a level of engagement never before witnessed in our community, only possible because I will be working full time at this job. I am proudly progressive by nature, but as my biography shows, I have a wide range of experience that will help me to collaborate with councilmembers on both sides of the issues, looking for the best for my neighbors and the greater Berkeley community.